Although I rationally know better, I am always stilled into quiet amazement and sadness by a psychological phenomenon I have known about since I was old enough to read history books. Here is just one small example of something that happens from the individual level to the scale of millions of people.
To be the evilest, people convince themselves they are the good guys.
Woman arrested for vandalizing Charlie Kirk memorial | U.S.
The Benton County Sheriff’s Office announced Wednesday that it had identified and arrested two suspects in relation to the vandalism outside the Benton County Courthouse. The sheriff’s office said it had been made aware on Tuesday that vandals had targeted a memorial at the bottom of the courthouse steps dedicated to the late Christian conservative influencer and founder of Turning Point USA and TPUSA Faith.
Authorities arrested the sisters, Kerri Melissa Rollo, 23, and Kaylee Heather Rollo, 22, following a “swift investigation,” according to the press release on Wednesday. Both women have been charged with criminal mischief in the first degree, while Kaylee faces an additional charge of obstruction of governmental operations.
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Footage circulating online of the vandalism shows two individuals ripping up signs and knocking over candles at the memorial for Kirk, who was murdered on Sept. 10 during a TPUSA event at Utah Valley University in Orem, shortly after a member of the audience asked him about mass shootings by transgender-identifying individuals.
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One of the women caught on camera vandalizing the memorial is seen flipping off the person recording and shouting, “F— Charlie Kirk!” The same woman who flipped off the person recording her also accused Kirk of promoting “violence.”
The video garnered attention online, prompting Kaylee to start a fundraiser on Tuesday on GoFundMe titled “FIGHT AGAINST F4CISM.” The 22-year-old also shared photos of people on social media condemning the vandalism of the memorial.
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After the recent events surrounding Charlie Kirk’s death, my sibling and I are being doxxed online. My sibling was fired from their job,” the younger sister wrote in a fundraising message on GoFundMe. “This is a direct violation of their First Amendment rights and unconstitutional,” she claimed.
“This is unfortunate, but anything helps,” Kaylee continued. “Please support my sibling as they look for another job and stand against the creeping tyranny in our country.”
What they did is so obviously wrong that I have no idea what words I could use to explain it to them. I would not think this behavior was acceptable even if it were a memorial for Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin, or Hillary Clinton.
This seems like a mirror-image mentality. I’m reminded of the bi-hemispherical nature of the human brain. Mind the looking-glass.
“[S]hortly after a member of the audience asked him about mass shootings by transgender-identifying individuals.” A remarkable coincidence.
Was that the cue? Presumably, with an electronically amplified sound system, 200 yards, at which distance I have practiced, is not an obstacle to hearing the questions and answers.
In 1963, after the Kennedy Assassination, Senator “Pat” Moynihan said, “We have to investigate this assassination as if it were a conspiracy because if we don’t. we will be debating it for a hundred years.” We have to investigate this assassination as if it were a conspiracy, too, to dispel conspiracy theories or confirm them for the same reason. How remarkable that the security were busy with a “Confessor” while the assassin escaped. How unfortunate that the security were allegedly tasked only with ground-level security and the local Police Department were allegedly tasked with more distant security.
How bizarre that two weeks later the rumors are still flying.